Clinical studies and practice have shown that reducing pressure in proximity to a tissue site can augment and accelerate growth of new tissue at the tissue site. The applications of this phenomenon are numerous, but it has proven particularly advantageous for treating wounds. Regardless of the etiology of a wound, whether trauma, surgery, or another cause, proper care of the wound is important to the outcome. Treatment of wounds with reduced pressure may be commonly referred to as “reduced-pressure therapy,” but is also known by other names, including “negative-pressure therapy,” “negative-pressure wound therapy,” “reduced-pressure wound therapy,” “vacuum therapy,” and “vacuum-assisted closure,” for example. Reduced-pressure therapy may provide a number of benefits, including migration of epithelial and subcutaneous tissues, improved blood flow, and micro-deformation of tissue at a tissue site. Together, these benefits can increase development of granulation tissue and reduce healing times.
In addition, the delivery of therapeutic fluids (e.g. saline or antibiotic fluids) to the tissue site can also provide benefits to healing of a tissue site. Treatment of tissue sites with the delivery of therapeutic fluids may also be referred to as “instillation therapy.” Instillation therapy may assist in cleaning the tissue site by aiding in the removal of infectious agents or necrotic tissue. The therapeutic fluids used in instillation therapy may also provide medicinal fluids, such as antibiotics, anti-fungals, antiseptics, analgesics, or other similar substances, to aid in the treatment of a tissue site.
While the clinical benefits of reduced-pressure therapy and instillation therapy are widely known, the cost and complexity of reduced-pressure therapy and instillation therapy can be a limiting factor in its application, and the development and operation of reduced-pressure systems, components, and processes continues to present significant challenges to manufacturers, healthcare providers, and patients.